Why must Arjuna fight the war?

Continuing with English translation of the great Sant Shri Dnyaneshwar’s commentary on Shrimad Bhagawad Geeta (BG) titled Bhavarthdeepika in Marathi and commonly known in Maharashtra as Shri Dnyaneshwari. Here is the 13th post.

Bhagawad Geeta verse 2:36

अवाच्यवा- ांश्च बहून्वदिष्- यंति तवाहिता:।

न- ंदस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दु:खतरं नु किं॥

Bhagawad Geeta verse 2:37

हतो वा प्राप्स्यस- ि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीं।

तस्मा- दुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चय:-

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Literal Meaning :

Shri Krishna says, “Your enemies will castigate your power and will speak a lot of unspeakable things about you. Is there anything more grievous than this?

If you die in the war, you will go to heaven; or if you emerge victorious, you will enjoy the kingdom of the earth. So, Oh Arjuna, determine to fight the war and rise.”Commentary by Sant Shri Dnyaneshwar :

Shri Krishna said, “Oh Arjuna, these enemies of yours will say, ‘Ah, Arjuna was afraid of us and has run away!’ Now, is it good to have such a stigma on you? Oh Arjuna, people exert a lot and even sacrifice their life to earn a reputation; and you have an easy opportunity to earn that kind of undescribable and unstoppable reputation. All the three worlds know that your reputation is infinite and your virtues undescribable. Kings across the entire world sing your praise, and even yamadharma is afraid of you upon hearing your praise! That reputation is pious and deep like the waters of river Ganga, and even great warriors all over the world freeze upon hearing about it. On hearing about such magnificent greatness of your bravery, these Kauravas have put their lives on the block. When an uncontrollable elephant hears the roaring of a lion, even he thinks that the end of world is approaching; likewise, these Kauravas are deterred by you. Just as a mountain respects vajra (a very powerful weapon of the king of gods, Indra), or snakes respect eagle, these Kauravas always respect you. So, now if you go back without fighting, your reputation will vanish and you will come to disrepute. Even if you want to run away, they will not let you; they will capture you and ridicule you, and speak very badly of you on your face. Instead of having to hear those heart-breaking words, why shouldn’t you be brave and fight the war? If you emerge victorious over them, you will enjoy the kingdom of this earth.

Or, if you die while fighting the war, then you will enjoy an easy and pious heavenly pleasure. So, Arjuna, do not keep thinking anymore about it; rise, and pick up your bow and start fighting. Look, if you follow your svadharma, your existing blemishes will disappear; even then, how and from where did you get this illusion that svadharma will lead you to sin? You only should tell me, whether a person sitting in a boat can drown. Or, can one who is walking along a good road, stumble and fall? But, one who cannot walk, may perhaps stumble and fall. One cannot die by drinking milk; but if it is consumed alongwith poison, then he will die. Likewise, if you act in accordance with your svadharma but with expectations of the fruit thereof, then you will have blemish. So, Arjuna, give up all desires and fight in accordance with kshatriyadharma; then there will be no sin whatsoever for you in it.